Bird #27 - the black robin (VU)
After so many extinct birds, I think it's good to look at a bit of an opposite case!
The black robin, also known as the Chatham robin, resides in the Chatham Islands, where introduced mammals and habitat loss almost wiped out the species. In 1980 there were only 5 robins left on a single island, and only one breeding pair existed.
Conservationists rushed in. The birds were moved onto a neighbouring island that was larger and had more suitable habitat. The number of offspring produced every year was increased - they collected the first clutch of eggs for a foster species to raise, and the black robins would go on to lay a second clutch. Quarantining the island from predators was (and still is) important to maintain the population.
Thanks to all the past efforts, the population has risen to around 300 in 2021 from that single pair! Obviously this creates a tight genetic bottleneck, but it seems inbreeding actually hasn't impacted the species too much, likely because it's already adapted to having small populations on island habitats. Numbers are now stable. :)
Also they look like the most perfect round and adorable fuzzballs, I've linked the eBird page at the top so you can see some photos
